The Dog Brothers: A Dufiro Story

The Council

The Great City of Ahyk is the largest and most densely populated city within the Dufiro Realms. It may be the largest single city in the Multiverse, excluding a few Planetwide Cities, such as Corusant and Trantor. The city of Ahyk spans more than a few Shadows and holds the largest collection of Dufiro Races found anywhere in the Multiverse and also supports, perhaps the largest collection of Non-Dufiro Races as well. Within the city can be found homes, great and small, businesses offering every possible good or service and of course, one can also find an abundance of Halls dedicated to Civil Services, Social Services, Ideological Parties, and the numerous Halls of the Dufiro Hierarchies that represent each of the multitude of Dufiro Races.

Within one of these Hierarchy Halls there is a Chamber used for Meetings, Screenings, Rituals and Ceremonies, as there is in all such Halls. Within this Chamber sits a Council of Dufiro, many onlookers in the Gallery and three Miniature Poodles at the center of the circular chamber. The center area is well light from above, the gallery and council areas surrounding are heavily shadowed.

"Speak." A masculine sounding voice says in vomos. A voice that comes from nowhere, everywhere and in everyone's heads. The light in the chamber seems to fluctuate slightly, for just a moment.

“Bark?.... Me?” the long beige one asks.

“Bark, bark..... No, me.” the small white one replies.

“BARK! Whiiiine..... NO! Meeee...” the first pleads.

“BARK! BARK!...... NO! ME!” the second demands.

“BARK!!!!..... QUIET!!!!” the third one interrupts to silence them both. He is silvery gray in color and the tallest of the trio.

Their minds quiet, then they speak as one, guided by the third.

"Bark bark.... grrrr bark BARK grrrr....... We are... thinking like Humans think. We are the Dog Brothers. Three and One. Separate and Joined. Different and the Same. We are Dufiro... Movement Elementals. Circus Dogs. Guard Dogs. Companions. We are Good Dogs... Our Master says so.” They all wag their tails in unison, but not quite in sync.

“Yes, you are Good Dogs” says a soft feminine voice in Vomos, with a hint of amusement. She smells of Dog and dirt and trees.

“Yes” says the masculine voice from everywhere and nowhere, also in Vomos, but not so softly nor amused. He has no smell. “Tell us about your Master.”

“Bark bark... Master is good...”

“Bark bark... We love Master...”

“Bark bark... Master loves Us...”

“Bark bark... Master FEEDS Us...”

“Bark bark, hooowl, bark... Our Master is a Good Master. A Good Human. He cares for Us very good. He saved Us from the scary Big Death Place. He teaches Us many things. We learn many things. He protects Us. We guard him and Friends. Master has many Friends. We like Friends. Master is a Good Master.”

The Dog Brothers wag their tails in unison again.

“Bark, whimper, bark-bark, ..... Good Master not Our Best Master....” says the smallest of the trio. Suddenly their tails stop and they all seem sad.

Before the masculine voice can ask, the feminine voice cuts him off, and asks in a soft, caring tone. “Who was your Best Master?”

The trio of miniature poodles seem both happy and sad at the same time.

“Bark bark bark....... Best Master was Our Second Master. She saved Us from the Angry Troll. Angry Troll was Our First Master. He had Stick of Authority to hit dogs. He had Mean Dogs to attack the Dog Brothers. Angry Troll is a Bad Human!!! Our Best Master took Us away from the Angry Troll. She protected Us from the Angry Troll and the Mean Dogs. Our Best Master never hit Us. She loved Us. She was our Mama. She gave Us warm soft places to sleep. She gave Us food. She trained Us not to fight for food... She... taught Us to Share. She took Us with Her many places. Places to run and smell and pee and play. She told Us many times... 'Stay with Mama'. We did what Mama said, We are Good Dogs. We loved Our Mama. We miss Our Mama.” Again, the trio seem sad.

The feminine voice asks, again in a soft and caring tone, completely genuine: “What happened to your Best Master... your Mama? Why do you miss her?”

“Bark Bark, whimper.... Our Best Master is dead. The Big Sickness made all the Humans dead. Then the Big Sickness made Our Mama dead. Our Good Master was her Mate. Good Master was sad. Dog Brothers were sad. We howled... so did Good Master. Good Master put her body in the ground. Her body has Returned to the Earth. But..... SHE.... is......” The trio feel confused... unsure... they do not quite understand where She is.

“They do not understand?” The masculine voice asks, sounding a bit surprised.

“They are having difficulty grasping the concept. They are young...” The feminine voice counters, but is cut off by the masculine voice.

“They are Dufiro. Their understanding of the Heart Fire and how it lives on after the body is destroyed is ingrained into them. This concept should not confuse them.”

“They were not born Dufiro, they were born normal dogs on a world of normal humans. The basic understanding of Final Death is born into them, as in all Animals. The understanding of Dufiro Heart Fire living on beyond Physical Death is now a part of them, as they are now Dufiro. But the understanding of a Human Afterlife is something they only now learning, as a human child would.” says the feminine voice.

“Is this Knowledge, or conjecture?”

“Part Knowledge, from similar experiences. And part Understanding, from those same experiences.”

“That sounds more like conjecture, than actual Knowledge of the Elementals' experiences. This matter grow complex. Their Language Skills and understanding of higher concepts is limiting. Let us simplify the matter. My Heart Fire will Inhabit their bodies, I will enter their minds, and I will relate their life experiences in a more comprehensive manner.” says the masculine voice authoritatively.

“No. I will do it. You lack.... the perspective of an organic.” says the feminine voice.

Someone stands in the Council Area and steps forward, out from the shadows. A humanoid canine about five and a half feet tall with the colors and markings of, what would be called on the Dog Brothers Home World, an Irish Setter. One of the lights overhead floats down, an orb of swirling colors of blues and purples, shot occasionally with tiny arcs of pink lightning within. The masculine voice says:

“No. You lack the strength and the control. It must be me.”

A somewhat nasal and very snarky voice comes from the back of the shadowed council area.

“Sparky's right; you lack the strength, but I know you have enough control. However, I have both... as well as an 'organic perspective'.”

A humanoid Raccoon about two and a half feet tall, wearing a red leather vest steps forward.

“Roche'Tilixt; you said you weren't coming.” the orb of colored lights fluctuates slightly.

“Well, plans changed. I'm here now. So, let's get this thing going, okay, Sparky.” the Raccoon replies.

“You know I hate it when you call me Sparky.” replies the masculine voice as the orb of colored lights fluctuates and a few extra pink lightning bolts arc within. “Very well; your Heart Fire shall Inhabit the trio, and I shall translate; since you will be receiving experiences from three sources you will surely need assistance.”

“Yeah, great idea, but again, you lack an organic perspective. I was actually thinking that I'd translate, and Silky over here could Inhabit one of the Dog Brothers, aaaannnnd.... I get a couple more volunteers with organic perspectives.”

“An excellent idea, Roche'...” a voice that is both feminine and masculine says from the shadows at the back of the Gallery opposite the Council Area. “However, I think you might be better suited to the task of Inhabiting one of the Dog Brothers as well. I shall volunteer to translate, having the strength, the control and the organic perspective required. As well as experience in these matters.”

A small frog-like creature with a lizard-like tail and beautiful multi-colored butterfly wings flutters out of the shadows; several quiet gasps escape some of those in attendance. It flutters over to the center of the Chamber, then hovers over the Dog Brothers.

“Salaka; welcome. What a great surprise. Of course, your expertise in this matter can not be questioned.” There is a quality of deference in the tone of the masculine voice as the Orb of Lights fluctuates and floats upwards, back into the lights above.

The Raccoon and Irish Setter both bow their heads respectfully to the winged amphibian. The Dogs Brothers lay down and roll over as one, to show their bellies in respect.

Salaka flutters down to the Dog Brothers and whispers something to them that only they can hear. The trio roll back to their feet, resume their sitting positions and wags their tails nervously for a couple of seconds before settling.

“So then...” Salaka begins, fluttering upwards a bit then looking into the shadowed Council Area. “Who will volunteer to be the third?”

A sudden stench fills the chamber. The stench of cheap cat food gone rancid, then passed through a diseased intestinal tract only to be farted out smelling 10 times worse than it should, to the dismay of all in the chamber. Before too much of a commotion begins, a humanoid black cat, a Bombay, steps out from the shadows of the Council Area. Everyone goes silent.

“I'll volunteer to be the third, Honorable Salaka.” the Bombay Cat says with a crisp but clean accent.

“I thought you weren't coming, Stinky.” Roche' the Raccoon says quietly to the black cat.

“'Well, plans change. I'm here now. So, let's get this thing going, okay...' Roche'...” the stinky black cat says in a slightly mocking tone.

“Thank you for coming.... Ummmmm, Stinky, is it? Did you actually chose to change your Speaking Name to Stinky?” Salaka asks, genuine curiosity evident in her tone.

“Yes. Quite so.” Stinky the Bombay Cat replies. “Rather fitting, don't you think? What with being unfairly forced to Serve a Term as Rot, and all that. I shall bear the Name like a Badge of Honor, even after my Term is up. Ready when you are, Salaka.” He makes a crisp militaristic bow to her.

“Bear the Name like a Badge of Honor if you like, but I think we can all do without the smell” she says with a bit of mirth and a large amount of seriousness. Salaka does something and suddenly the smell is gone from the chamber.... well, technically, all smell is gone from the chamber, to everyone's relief.

“Now then...” Salaka begins again, “Roche', I'd like you to Inhabit the...”

“Alpha” he interrupts, “Yeah, I got it, no prob...”

“Actually...” Salaka interrupts, pausing to get the Raccoon's full attention. “the Omega. His Heart Fire is Wild and Chaotic, much like yours, but his Heart is big and warm, just like yours. I feel there could be no better match.”

Roche' the Raccoon bows his head to Salaka then moves to stand next to the long bodied, long necked beige miniature poodle sitting behind and to the left of the Alpha, the silvery gray one.

“Silky...” Salaka addresses the humanoid Irish Setter wearing a flowing white silk robe. “You shall Inhabit the Beta. His Heart Fire burns Hot, and he is Fiercely Loyal... but his Heart has grown Cold... He misses his Mama. He needs the Warmth of a Mother's Heart, and Heart Fire.”

Silky the Setter bows to Salaka then takes her place next to the shorter, thicker, white miniature poodle to the right of his beige brother.

“And Stinky; the Alpha. This one time hater of cats, for good reason, has now become a friend to felines, and has even earned the respect of a feline of great importance. His Heart Fire is Strong but Playful, his Heart...” a slight pause, “...'His Heart is in the right place', as was said on the Dog Brothers Homeworld; a good quality for a Leader. You have things in common. A good match. Take your place, and let the Heart Fire Ritual of Inhabiting begin.”

The Sharing

The Adventure Continues

Animals of Ang Ri

After the Sharing

Off to the side, standing on the edge of the shadows between the Gallery and the Chamber Floor, Rafe feels a slight tug at his pant leg about knee level. He turns to look and sees a trio of short humanoid felines; a Lynx, an Ocelot and what he thinks is a Maine Coon with all the colors a cat can have without having a Calico patterning.

“Hey, you're Rafe.” the Lynx says quietly, but somewhat exitedly in Gorbash. “Quick; Name us like Curious.”

“Do what??” Rafe asks.

“Do that thing that you do. Name us like you Named Curious. Quickly.”

“Strange” Rafe says, mostly to himself. ”I didn't actually name Curious.”

“Yes. Strange. A good Name.” says the Lynx. “Now Name her” he says pointing to the Ocelot.

“Odd...” he says, “I wasn't giving you a name. Just like I didn't give Curious a name.”

“Yes. Odd.” the Ocelot says in a thick, oddly accented Gorbash. “Thank you.” She nods her head to Rafe.

“Now him” the Lynx says, pointing to the Maine Coon.

“Weird. Just weird.” Rafe says, thinking how very weird this situation is and that he has somehow named three Dufiro Cats without trying.

The Maine Coon growls slightly then shakes his head at Rafe.

“What? You don't think this is weird?” Rafe asks. “Okay, how about 'peculiar'?”

The Maine Coon purrs. “Yes. Peculiar. I like it.” He says in perfect Gorbash, then nods his head to Rafe in thanks.

Rafe smiles and chuckles while shaking his head in mild disbelief. “You are all welcome. But technically, you all chose your own names. Just like Curious.”

“No.” Strange contradicts, “You did that thing that you do. Many thanks, Illuminar.”

The Spasa of Combat trio bow their heads as one to Rafe, then fade back into the shadows of the Gallery.

...more to come...